A lot of athletes have been becoming more vocal in terms of social issues and standing up for things they believe in. This has created the conversation of whether or not athletes should use their platforms to make social and political statements and how it affects the league and teams as a whole. Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors has positioned himself as one of the best five players in the NBA for the greater part of the last five years and especially his willingness to discuss and make statements regarding important social justice issues. It’s incredibly important for influential athletes like Steph to use their platforms to speak up for those who can’t speak for themselves, especially when there’s an incredible amount of eyes and ears following professional athletes.

Steph Curry recently received a handwritten letter from a 9-year-old that was posted onto her father’s twitter. This fan, Riley, was writing to Steph about his Under Armour shoes with hopes that they could potentially be made for girls, considering the were classified as “boys” on the website. When the letter made its way to Steph, he responded with nothing but love while informing Riley of changes coming with delivering shoes for girls, as well as announcing the commitment to gender equality through special events during International Women’s Day in which Riley was personally invited to. In a comment from the outspoken women’s rights activist himself, he spoke about how being a father has influenced the way he thinks now: “I want our girls to grow up knowing that there are no boundaries that can be placed on their futures, period.”

Using this as another opportunity for Steph to showcase his support towards women’s rights, we are reminded of statement in which he’s discussed closing the gender pay gap, hosting all-girls basketball camps, and sharing that his experiences raising two daughters have given him more drive and motivation to stand up and use his powerful voice to create change. When leagues take positions on controversial topics, it can be rocky waters to enter. But at the end of the day, there is more audience attention when professional athletes make statements on social issues and this is a great way to foster more relationships and fans in people who have similar beliefs and values.

The NBA commissioner Adam Silver has been vocal about supporting his players’ decisions to speak out on social issues and this creates a different comradery around the sport, individual teams, and fan base. Having an environment that fosters these types of conversations is a major advantage that the NBA has created for themselves. Of course, with the good comes the bad and there are fans who are feeling frustrated with players making social statements because they use sports as a break from reality and not have to think about what’s going on in the world. But by the NBA and players like Steph using this is a way to model to young kids and people that they practice what they preach will be incredibly beneficial.